National Republican., 1887-11-17
RESCUE THE PERISHING.
A FORMER CATHOLIC NUN ADDRESSES
THE w. G. T. U.
Personal Effort to Reclaim Fallen
women-How it Can be e'Accomplished
Sad Scenes Pictured OF Those Who
Have Known Better Days,

Have Known Better Days,
The iDlstxict meeting OF the Woman's
Christian Temperance Union yesterday af-
ternoon was largely attended, though
many Of the more prominent ladies In the
organization were in attendance upon the
national convention at Nashville, Tenn.
Mrs. q. l.. Clarke presided and conducted
the preliminary devotional exercises, after
the conclusion Of which she introduced
Mrs. NJ. L. Shepherd, Of Chelsea, Mass., de-
scribed asla converted num-" who deliv-
cred an interesting address upon the work
OF rescuing fallen women from their lives
Of shame. t,
Mre. Shepherd is native of British India,
and was daughter OF Col. Herbert, OF the
royal army, who was stationed In India,
and is apparently about 85 years old.
While nota handsome woman, she pos
sesses q most magnetic and attractive face,
that lights up and becomes brilliant when
describing her life work. Mrs. Shepherd's
parents died while abe was yet q child, and
she was brought up In q convent, which
che entered as q novitiate at the are OF II.
While a novice her mind underwent a
and Joined the Baptist Church, OF which
she is now member, and under the au-
spices OF which she now carries on the work
OF reclaiming unfortunate women.
She has been resident of Chelaea for
the pact two. yeare, where she founded a
house OF refuge for scarlet women which
has lately been forced to suspend, owing
to want OF funds, but which was instru-
mental in saving many fallen women while
1t was In existence.
Mrs. Shepherd prefaced her talk with the
remark that she could not speak
as plainly as she would like, because
OF the presence of men In the
hall, among whom was the ,abashed re-
porter for the RErUBLIoAN-none ofwhom,
however, evinced auy disposition to retire
and allow the speaker to fully explain her
methods Of work. She pleaded for perso-
nal work among the outcasts Of society,
and said that such endeavor and Its glori
Gus results was plainly woman's portion;
that they should not shrink from their duty
because OF disinclination to mingle with
what society has termed its Pariahs. The
work requires selfdenal in It's highest
form, but woman should consider that IL is
also work Of self.defense, for hundreds
are affected at times by the falling Of one.
The class for which she pleaded could
not be reached through churches or
meetings, but must be gotten at by in
dlvidual effort, words of love, and acts Of
kindness. No pharasaical protestations of
poor women had priceless souls to save,
and II God calls women to the work OF
saving them He will also open the way for
them to do IL. A woman, girded up with
Christianity and purity Of character, was
in no danger OF contamination by contact
with the Mary 'Magdalenes; as for herself,
while she had been engaged in personal,
hand to hand work with the most degraded
women in London and other great cities for
many years, che had the first time yet to
be insulted or. even annoyed. Strange as
1t might appear, those that are apparently
the most abandoned are the most eager to
quit their vile life, and enter upon one Of
usefulness. The women respect the at
tributes OF Christianity and virtue, some
thing that men In the same social scale
rarely do.
Many Of the poor women who enter upon
q life Of vice are country girls who are de.
luded into coming to large cities by adver-
tisements in newspapers calling for gov
ernesses, seamstresses, &C., being met at
.depots and wharves by wolves In sheeps'
clothing, and decoyed into dens OF infamy
to be ruined and thrusti nto life Of shame,
from which they have no escape save by
the grace Of God, who demands that
women shall take their sisters, even the
erring ones, and lead them up to q brighter
life.
Again, she said (and she said It with O
blush Of shame), 1t Is not infrequently the
case that men who are protesting Chris
tians deliberately plot the ruin OF conflding
girls, and instaDced case wherein q Sun
day school superintendent took a scholar
out riding, drugged her, and effected hei
ruin. Manifold were the snares set for the
unwary and the conlding, and deep was
the infamy Of man to woman, but none the
less disgraceful was the attitude Of women
to the fallen, for too often are they more
tha,, 90 arI thatr ,,,fn -,
nate sisters.
She inferentially pleaded for code o.
ethics that would prescribe single stand
ard OF morals-not stoning the woman and
allowing the man to go free to mingle as o
old in society, further debauching and de
stroying.
With pitiless emphasis she scathed the
PROGRESSES Of society, male aud female
placing them below all that is mean apc
base, and stated as her belief that no mercy
would be shown them hereafter, and tina,
zone should be shown them here.
The story, OF Marys Magdalene was told
most affectipgly, and her manner In its re
cital showed her power to sway an audi
ence, even though 1t be not In entire sym
patby with her.
With general admonitlon to her audi
ence never to violate confidence and neve
to Dry into the cause Of woman's down
fall. she described her idea Of the persona
work to be done In reclaiming the fallen
and urged her hearers to renew their effort
TO purify society and rescue the perlshing
Mrs. Shepherd addresses a meeting Ii
Baltimore Tuesday night next, and tn
following Friday night will relate her ex
perience under the auspices Of the Eas
Capital Baptist Association In this city.
She made no mention of her former belle
save to speak In terms OF highest praise o
work similar to hers by the Sisters OF Mercy
In conversation with the reporter after tn,
services, Mrs. Shepherd stated that shu hat
nothing but pleasant recollections Of thu
convent, except that she was Of differen
doetrlnal belief. o.